Drugs, DNA and Braca.
by obsessed1
Summary: MY best yet!!! Well i think! Its long-bear with it. John and crew captured etc.PLZ R and R


Disclaimer: Set season four. I do not own the characters but merely borrowing them!!!!

John was lay on the floor of the docking bay underneath his Farscape module, he was attempting to fix the hydraulics on the landing struts. Oil dripped onto his chest, staining his t-shirt.

He heard the static of his comm indicating that he was being contacted and reached over with an outstretched hand until it connected with the offending noisy object. He had used incredible forethought to move it away from the mess he was creating.

"Yo, whose comming me?"

"John, we served up in the galley half an arn ago, if you don't eat now Rygel will finish your rations for you." said D'argo, he sounded annoyed.

"Hey big D, just tell me one thing. Is the slug in the rubber suit there?" John pushed himself out from under his module and sat cross-legged on the floor.

"Yes John.....Scorpious is here."

"Then no, I'd rather starve, and considering it's hard enough eating food cubes as it is, I'd rather not have to look at his off putting ugliness which he calls his face." He pushed himself under his module again, resigned to the fact that he wouldn't be eating until Scorpious was back in his cell.....or dead. Whichever came first. "Why does he have to eat with us anyway?"

"Aeryn thought it was only fair to let him out once in a while. I'm not happy about this either."

"Fair." Repeated John incredulously "Tell it to the neural clone that sadistic bastard put in my head."

"Fine, sulk. I cannot guarantee you will have anything to eat later though." The comms crackled and once John was sure D'argo had gone he tossed the comm away, it slid across the floor and disappeared out of sight. "Dammit" he cursed. _"Oh lets, let Scorpy out for communal meals, blah, everyone forgets he tortured me.....oh relax John, don't kill him"_ He laughed to himself. He didn't have the necessary components to fix his module and pushed himself back out from under it. He wasn't really fixing it anyway and now had more likely made the problem worse. He blamed Scorpy.

He remained sat for the moment, scanning the floor for his comm badge. It had swivelled off in the direction of the frate containers, but he was damned if he could see it. As he began to crawl forward he reached into his pocket pulling out the clear packet containing the forget-me-not drug Noranti had given him. It was meant to help him forget, but he was aware that now he seemed to take it a lot more. Not just to forget.

After sniffing a handful, his head reeled and he was glad he was on all fours. His eyes blurred, and he felt the familiar drug go to work, coursing through his body, muscles relaxing, forgetting his troubles.

"Now" he said "Where the frell have you gone, you spun into the corner or...." he stopped and thought for a moment "I was lying on my back, I arched my hand at this angle..." he demonstrated with his hand "And therefore you should be.......oh frell. You're not there are you? I'm being defied by a piece of metal." He stopped "I'm talking to the piece of metal. How crazy is that?

"Looking for this old man" he heard the familiar voice and stood up. Chiana was holding his comms badge and twirling it in her fingers.

"Thanks" he said grasping for it and re-attaching it to his t-shirt.

"You might want to get changed" she said indicating to his shirt. She stepped forward and playfully ran a finger through the grease. "Pilot was calling, I guess you didn't hear him."

"No" he said flatly, stepping back and slightly staggering.

"You alright?"

"Stood up too soon"

"You've got something on your nose" said Chiana, touching it. He recoiled backwards his hand moving defensively to wipe away the offending mark. It was white. It was the powder. Did she know?

"Come on" she said grabbing his hand "We'll swing by your quarters so you can get changed."

"Did Pilot say what's up?" he said walking two steps behind her, riding his own private high.

"Didn't say" she said.

.......................................

"We are approaching a class five medical facility. It's inhabited by the Ashrak, a peaceful race as far as I am aware. Moya needs to have a few minor repairs facilitated, so we are to remain stationary until they have been resolved. Therefore may I suggest you use the time to make a visitation." Pilots image on the clamshell was a little hazy, it was evident that repairs were needed.

"The Ashrak" said D'argo "An Ashrak once healed a blood relative of mine. They are harmless and for people so medically advanced they have no weapons as advanced as ours"

"And we need food" said Rygel hovering on his throne.

"Only because you ate everything" said Chiana hotly.

"Hey, hey, hey, we all need a break" said John stepping forward, now changed and bathed. "We're all getting a little cabin fever so lets just take the time for some R and R"

They looked at him strangely, not understanding the phrase R and R. No change from usual.

"If you think I'm leaving my rations, so you can diminish them whilst I'm gone you have been mistaken" said Rygel.

"Well if he's not going neither am I" said Sikozu "I have to eat as well, and having ten stomachs isn't an excuse for stealing everybody elses"

Aeryn who had remained silent through out this reverie suddenly stepped forward. "Fine then, you two stay and baby-sit the ship and we'll do the ration run" she sighed and her eyes locked momentarily with John's, its as if she couldn't pull away. She was being drawn into him.

When she finally managed to avert her gaze everybody else had left the command, all arguing with one another about food, or just generally exhibiting their extreme selfishness.

John stepped forward and with a fingertip traced it up her arm. "So " he said looking over at the clamshell "Pilot, how advanced are these Ashrak?" he looked at Aeryn.

"They have utilised all forms of civilised medical treatments from as far afield as possible. They have even acquired Peacekeeper technology"

"Peacekeeper?" said John. "Thanks Pilot"

Aeryn held his gaze, and then realising what he was suggesting, she pulled away from his grasp, turned on her heel and stalked out from command. John followed behind calling out her name, trying to get her to halt.

"No!" she said stopping suddenly.

"Why not?" asked John stepping around to face her.

"I'm not ready." She sighed and leant against the passageway wall. Then taking a deep breath slid down to sit on the floor, wrapping her arms around herself defensively.

John joined her, knelt in front of her and held her hands. "If it's mine....i mean...I need to know"

A tear was sliding down her cheek now and she couldn't control the sobs that wracked her body, she hated showing she was hurt or emotional.

"This wasn't supposed to happen."

"Aeryn, we find out, then we can deal with this, okay?" he stood up, brushing his knees off.

He looked down at her momentarily and then turning began to walk off down the passageway, sure that he should be feeling more than he did. His hand wrapped around the powdered contents in his pocket.

...........................................

The Ashrak base, was large and self contained. On one area of the base you would never have guessed that it wasn't a planet's surface, as the base had it's own self sustained environment within a large clear dome. In this area plants and trees had been allowed to grow in abundance, seemingly uncontrolled by the people that lived there. Beyond this masquerade however the base interior resembled the insides of most ships. Clean but very regulated. The walls were painted a brash white, with the ceilings and floors metallic and grey. It reminded John of a peacekeeper command carrier, however with the exception of any peacekeepers. 

Once D'argo, Chiana, John and Aeryn had docked the transport pod, they had entered the base through some kind of passport control, however with this place the only criteria was that you weren't Scarran. John was liking this place so far.

On the other side, there was a trading depot as large as an airbase hangar. Stalls were interwoven throughout, it was only when you had braved the crowds and survived getting to the second check point that you gained entry to the more habitable part of the base called Hectare one. This was where the medical facilities were located as well as apartment buildings and an underground system of bars and clubs. D'argo and Chiana, who were assigned to find food and supplies, had left John and Aeryn to go through to Hectare one alone, realising that the main reason they had come to this base would probably need them to be sympathetic to John and Aeryn's situation.

"so" said John rubbing his hands together and then slipping them inside his leather coat's long reaching pockets. "Where do we go from here?"

Aeryn looked him up and down and then took a step back, surveying the base. "You should go and explore. Ill be fine on my own." She said, not looking him in the eye.

"Go and explore? What am I five?" said John waving his hands up in the air. "Aeryn no, we do this-"

"-we do this my way or not at all."

"Can I change your mind?" he was met by silence. "Okay, ill come and find you in a few arns."

"John." She said. Her voice sounded so small. "What if........"

"Two arns, Aeryn" He took a step forward and kissed her on the forehead and then went to find himself a bar.

.............................................................

The underground network of bars and clubs was great in theory, but every passageway looked a like and within a few microts of exploration John was lost. He hoped that Aeryn would be finished before and find him, because he was damned if he could remember the way out.

He entered a particularly seedy looking establishment and wandered over to the bar, he figured that nobody had ever seen a human before as they were all staring at him. Either that or he had something on his face.

"D'argo, Chi, how you guys doing?" he asked as he sat down at the bar, if no-one saw him activate his comm they would think he was crazy. Wait......was? Is.

"This frelling station is supposed to have some of the most advanced medical technology and all we can find is this food cube dren" D'argo shouted into comms.

"Well it's better than nothing, I suppose." Said John.

"Yes well I've lost Chiana, she went off with some trelk half an arn ago. Hows uhhh Aeryn?"

"She went on alone. Im in a bar underground. You should come and find me." He said trying to sound as if he wasn't desperate for someone to show him the way out.

"I'm going to stay here, see if I can find any weaponry"

"Well check back with Scorpy at some point. I dont trust him" said John. The comms suddenly de-activated with a buzz of static. Obviously he was so far underground they weren't functioning at their maximum.

"Hey bartender, give me something that doesn't taste like dren" he said slapping his hand down on the bar top. He reached over and picked up some snacks on the side of the bar, popping them into his mouth absentmindedly. It was only when he looked over did he see that they weren't peanuts. He didn't know what they were, but they looked like they had eyes.

"Puhh" he spat one out as the bartender, one of the Ashmaks handed him a tall glass with a vibrant red liquid in it. The Ashmak's were a race with a central third eye and no ears, so how the hell they heard anyhting was a wonder to John. Maybe they heard out of their arse or something. He didn't know.

Taking the glass, he took a hesitant sip. The texture of the liquid turned into a solid as it hit his tongue and then slipped down his throat, burning it as it went. "Woah" he said eyeing the drink carefully. "Smooth" he said in a raspy voice and proceeded to down the rest. It had the desired effect, he suddenly felt every muscle in his body relax, just at the same time that they tensed up again.

He could feel something pressed against the back of his neck. It felt distinctly like the muzzle of a gun, and he ought to know. He'd had enough pressed against his head in his time that he could now give name, rank and serial number.

Without hesitation he pulled Winona from his calf holster, swung around and pointed his weapon at a peacekeeper. Clad in the usual all black ensemble. They were stood, eyes locked at one another in a stand off. Neither's aim relenting.

"Hey we don't want any trouble" John heard the bartender say and he almost laughed at the guy. Boy was he stereotyped.

The peacekeeper kept his eyes locked and said "This is John Crichton. He is a wanted fugitive, a destroyer of two peacekeeper bases"

"Man your still pissed off about that" said John smiling slightly "Hey what if I tell you it was an accident"

"You never lose that sense of humour"

"Do I know you?" said John, the alcohol making his grip on the gun feel altogether not there.

"I know you like a brother. I have read about you, been lectured on you. Your infamous"

"Wow" said John "I never knew I was so popular. Look why don't I give you an autograph and then we can go our separate ways" He laughed. Okay that was the alcohol laughing.

John watched as the PK pulled from his pocket a loaded syringe. The contents were a bright yellow.

"What are you going to do with that?"

"Take him!" shouted the bartender. 

This distracted John and he turned around. "Will you shut up!" he shouted. A kick to his wrist made him drop his weapon and in an instant the Peacekeeper was aiming the syringe at his arm, with one quick jab the needle penetrated through his leather coat and he felt it puncture his arm. "Frell" he shouted and lashed out, knocking the pulse rifle out of the peacekeepers hand. He grabbed for the syringe and jumping onto the Pk like a mad man used the downward force to puncture the Pk's skin. He cried out and cursed in something that wouldn't translate.

Both men stood up grasping for their weapons again and scrambling into a position where they were in a stand off again.

"What was that?" John slurred.

"A sedative" said The PK, swaying slightly.

"Okay" said John "So I guess it's a case of who stays standing longest wins" That last part was incomprehensible. Both men were visibly having problems, swaying drunkenly as the effects of the sedative took effect. 

The Pk launched himself at John sending him to the ground and started hitting him in the face but the force of his punches were unsupported by his weight and instead it felt as if he was being slapped by a girl. John laughed at the absurdity of the situation. They grappled for a few moments longer, aiming misjudged punches at one another, until finally John could no longer keep his eyes open. He fell back onto the floor taking a table and a few glasses with him, he heard them smash but they sounded muted in comparison to the buzzing in his head. He tried to shout out, activate comms, reach for his weapon, anything but it was futile. He lay still, paralysed and passed out just as Braca's face came into view. "You bastard" he muttered.

.................................................

John's head was pounding, constant, unrelenting. His head swung to the side as something struck it with force. He opened his eyes to see D'argo over him, slapping him and shouting his name. "Woah, can it, I heard you the first time" he shouted rolling onto his side and swatting D'argo away. "What the frell are you doing?" he said bringing a hand up to his head and massaging his temples.

D'argo recoiled "Have you been drinking?" 

"Red liquid, solid dren" said John still slurring his words.

"Krei, you were drinking Krei. I'm suprised your still alive"

"Well dad, it wasnt that which knocked me out, it was a sedative courtesy of some henchmen PK"

John sat up and gingerly probed his mouth with his tongue. He could taste blood, one of those punches must have struck home. "Where are we?"

"We've been transported to a holding cell on a Peacekeeper marauder, Chiana and I were captured as we entered Hectare one. Chiana was taken off by Braca for questioning"

"Wheres Aeryn?" said John clearing his sore throat. "Did she get captured?"

"No sign of her. She must have escaped"

"Thank god" he said standing up shakily. "Well what now?" 

John felt his insulted face and winced, looked down at the emptiness of his holster and then felt in his pocket. Noranti's drug which John had dubbed forget-me-not was gone. He searched wildly in every pocket, and nothing.

"John, what are you doing?" said D'argo.

"I uhh..." he struggled for the words "Uhhh"

He was interrupted, the door burst open and Chiana was thrust into the room. She fell onto the floor, cursing as she fell. She scrambled up to her feet and gripped D'argo by his arm. At this point she acted like a child. Frightened.

Peacekeepers followed Braca into the room and he smiled arrogantly as he scanned his prisoners. John stepped forward, hand instinctively going to the empty holster.

"Crichton" said Braca smiling.

"Braca" mimicked John. 

"You didn't think you'd actually get away did you?"

"Yes" said John smiling "Look you know I have nine lives and it's a matter of time before I escape. You might as well show me the door now and save a few lives"

Braca was silent.

"What is it you want? It can't be the ransom for my capture, so it must be Grayza" he said taking another step forward "How is it working out for you being her own personal bitch?" 

Choosing to ignore this comment he said "You forget that you still possess knowledge which would be important to us" 

Braca stepped into the cell and began to walk around John. 

D'argo and Chiana looked on, both silent, not wanting to aggravate the situation. Just as John was doing.

"You have wormhole technology, who knows what else you have locked up in that brain of yours."

"Oh yeah a few hundred quotes from the three stooges, and the answer to life itself. Hey buddy, your not getting it, Scorpy tried, look where he got" said John.

Braca smiled and stopped. He brought his fist up striking John on the chin, his head snapped back and when he looked Braca in the eyes again blood was dripping from his split lip. He licked the blood.

"Perhaps a session in the Aurora chair would help to jog your memory"

"Perhaps a session in the Aurora chair would give you a personality" said John. Another fist caught him in the stomach this time, which brought him to his knees.

Braca joined him on the floor, kneeling so close that John could feel his hot breath on his cheek. 

John could feel his body shaking, it was involuntary and as he tried to regain some control over his body Braca looked at him inquisitively and then produced something from his pocket.

"Getting withdrawal symptoms John" he said.

John looked up, gritting his teeth and eyeing up the white powder. He hated Braca for this, exposing him as weak in front of his friends.

Braca tossed it at him, it fell into Johns lap and he sat and stared at it. He knew that Chiana and D'argo would be looking at him, disproving, formulating opinions. They would be disappointed. But then he was human. He was always being told he was weak and inferior and faulted, why shouldn't this surprise them. It wasnt as if he had a major problem.

Braca looked up at D'argo. "Oh, they don't know about this, do they?"

"Somebody planted it on him, you don't expect us to believe that do you?" laughed Chiana. She looked at John, but he was staring straight at the floor.

"At the end of the day your just a common addict" Braca stood and brushed the blood off his hand. "Guards take him to the Aurora chair"

John was pulled to his feet without protest and he looked Chiana and D'argo in the eyes. They just stared back.

"Crichton" said Chiana racing forward. She was pushed back by a peacekeeper and fell to the floor. He heard her call out his name once more before being shoved into the passageway and man handled down to his favourite chair.

............................................................

"Moya instinctively drove us away from the peacekeeper maurader when it approached." Said Pilot over the clamshell image "She is most regrettable that she had to leave you all behind, but I could not dissuade her."

"I understand" said Aeryn pacing nervously "She was frightened"

Aeryn had landed in the docking bay over an arn ago, she had escaped before the peacekeepers had touched down on Ashmak, she tried to comm John from space but he was obviously too far underground to receive her signal.

"You just left them" spat Rygel 

"I had to" said Aeryn "I had to get away so I would stand a chance of saving them. I doubt you and Sikozu would jump to the rescue to save us"

"Your very perceptive" said Sikozu. "And the same stands for now. No way am I going to go to a peacekeeper ship to save crew members who are deficient in the first place"

Aeryn turned swiftly and directed a stony glare in her direction. "If neither you or Rygel are going to help then there is only one more member of this crew who can help."

"Pilot?" asked Rygel whilst stuffing another food cube into his mouth.

"Scorpious" she said thrusting another icy glare at the two.

..............................................................

John was pushed forward into the room which held the Aurora chair, and he hadn't missed it. With armed Pk's blocking the door and Braca stood before him waiting for proceedings to begin, John felt utterly helpless. This wasn't looking like an easy situation to get out of.

"So before the movie starts, do I get popcorn?" asked John, stepping up onto the raised platform which held the chair. He saw the armed Pk's flinch. "Hey boys, don't worry. You think I'm dumb enough to try something." He jumped back down to stand in front of Braca. "No if your talking about dumb, you talk to this guy. Lieutenant Braca"

Braca reached into his holster and held up a pulse pistol to Johns head. "If you do try anything, I wouldn't hesitate in filling you full of-"

"-Little bolts of yellow light" said John. Braca was still holding that weapon to his face, in fact when he looked closer, the weapon looked distinctly familiar. Winona. 

John grabbed Braca's wrist, twisted him around and they ended up with Braca positioned in front of John, his arm around his neck in a bear hug, the weapon pointed at his head. The armed Pk's had all stepped forward with pulse rifles at the ready but with Braca as a human shield there was nothing much they could do. Unless of course somebody ambushed him from behind. Then he'd be screwed.

John examined the weapon, the butt of the gun was no longer smooth, it was showing its age, but most importantly it was Winona. "I thought this was my weapon. Dont ever turn my own weapon on me. Dont even use it, dont even _think_ about using it" said John becoming aware of how manic he was sounding.

Braca laughed "When they said you were crazy-"

John pulled harder, he could feel the neck muscles of Braca contracting and the pounding of blood in his own ears. He realised it would be so easy to snap this mans neck, but then where would that get him. Dead, thats where.

"Crichton. Let him go" he heard the voice say.

John looked up at Grayza as she glided in, in a dress which seemed to have too much fabric. It was trailing on the floor behind her. John dropped Braca and he fell to the floor beside him, gasping for air, the oxygen he needed so desperately before now choking him.

"Grayza, I wondered when this freak show would get interesting."

"Dont speak" she said getting closer. John could feel himself losing control, just like he had the first time he had met her. When she had seduced him. Normally he wouldn't have complained but this woman was just scary.

Braca stood up, she pushed him aside and continued to circle John, looking him up and down, taking in the view. "I knew I'd be seeing you soon" she traced a finger over his shoulder blades as she walked around him slowly. She leaned in close to his ear and breathed him in, she kissed his neck and bit his earlobe. 

John was paralysed, he couldn't speak either. He could only be silent. That smell, her smell was clouding his mind, he couldn't remember why he was here or what he was doing. It was as if she had erased everything in his memory and replaced it all with images of her.

"Grayza" Braca said taking a step forward, now recovered from the effects of oxygen deprivation.

"What is it?" Grayza turned around suddenly, her face close to Braca's "Can't you see I'm busy"

"Yes, but we must begin. The Aurora chair is ready to extract the vital information we need"

"No" was all John could summon from his lips. 

Grayza turned her attention back to John and smiled, "Get in the chair Crichton"

"No" said John as he was ushered towards the chair by one of the PK's "No please, you dont....."

He was fastened into the chair, but he was still under Grayza's suppressive powers, he couldnt fight back, just sit.

"Start the extraction procedure" said Grayza.

"No" shouted John as convulsions wracked his body, he felt as if his head was going to explode. All he could think was _Must put up neural block, must put up neural block, must put up neural _

block.

......................................................................................

As Aeryn approached Scorpious' cell she took in a deep breath. She felt indebted to him after he had helped her and yet she still had conflicting feelings when it came to what he had done to John. Scorpious had poisoned his mind, made him insane. He had made him want to die, he had made John so crazy that he had killed her. 

She opened the door and stepped inside, holding the pulse rifle by her side. It was pointing down at the floor, but it showed she was here for business.

"Officer Sun" said Scorpious, he stood and semi-bowed.

"I need your help" said Aeryn quickly. She wanted to get this over with. "John, D'argo and Chiana were captured and taken to a marauder."

"Braca I presume" said Scorpious taking a seat "That insolent little man is becoming an annoyance." He paused "But Officer Sun, why are you asking me for my help?"

"Because you worked with Braca, you know how he thinks, you know everything there is to know about marauders."

"Of course, I will be as helpful as I can."

"I need to know the layouts, a description of Braca's personal pro-"

"-If I am to be helpful, then I must aid you in your rescue. After all the in depth structures of the marauders are complicated and I can read body heat. Therefore as you can understand I would be very much of an asset."

What he was saying made Aeryn feel uncomfortable, but she was the one that was trying to convince everybody else that his loyalties laid with them. He had chosen them over everyone else because this was his best chance of survival, and besides if he tried anything she would be the first person to shoot him.

"I know what your thinking but I assure you officer Sun, I will not do anything which will cause you to use that weapon on me" he smiled "You can after all trust me."

..........................................................

The door swung open and a group of Pk's escorted John into the room. Two were holding him by the arms, seemingly supporting all of his weight. He was dragging his feet across the floor, swaying and murmuring something. He looked tired and drawn, dark lines circled his watering eyes, and as he spoke his voice was constricted and croaky from the screams which had escaped during his treatment.

The Pk's let go of John and closed the door behind him. He stood for a moment, not looking as if he had any recollection of where he was and then dropped to the floor, his legs crumbling beneath him. Chiana went to his side, kneeling next to him as he dropped to lie on the floor.

"Are you okay?" she asked. She knew it was a dumb question but it was the only one which she could think of beside quizzing him about the drugs.

"Peachy" whispered John staring up at the ceiling. "We have to get out of here" he said attempting to roll over and up. It didn't work and he collapsed back onto the stone floor.

"How, we are in a sealed room. There are guards everywhere" said D'argo standing up. He gripped John by the forearms and pulled him to his feet, supporting his weight momentarily before cautiously letting go.

"What did they do to you?" asked Chiana gripping John's hand tightly and forcing him to look at her.

He swallowed, looked as if he was going to say something and then thought better of it and turned away, rubbing his eyes and temples.

"Can't you see he's been through dren. You saw the effects of the Aurora chair before." Said D'argo.

John turned back to Chiana and smiled "I'm fine" he said lying. "I don't think they got what they needed, or if they did, they didn't get all of it. But look D'argo, they want to put you guys in the chair. Braca thinks you might know the equations for the wormhole tech" he shook his head "I'm sorry" he walked over to the single cot and sat down "If we can get Braca, we can use him to get out of here."

"What makes you think they wont shoot through him to us?" asked D'argo, sitting beside him.

"Because they didn't when I grabbed him just now."

"But your important to them" said Chiana.

"That too" said John "They wouldn't want to risk killing me. This information in my head is too important." He shivered.

"What's wrong?" asked Chiana.

"Grayza is here"

"Got you by the Minvocks again" laughed D'argo.

There was silence for a moment and then John laughed "Ask me?" he said "Look I know you want to know about the drugs" he shook his head.

"Well we weren't going to say. You've been through a lot lately and........."

John cut her off "Yes, I have been through a lot. Scorpy, Braca, Aeryn, chip in my head, split in two" he stood up "It was all getting so hard, my head was so mixed up....Noranti, she offered me this stuff to help me forget. That's all. I haven't been over using it" he said. "You trust me right?"

"Of course" said Chiana "Don't we D'argo?" she said touching his arm lightly and waiting for a response.

"John that may be the case but I'm not happy with this situation" he shrugged as if struggling for some wise words but he was at a loss, too distracted with their current, more serious predicament.

"D'argo, trust me" said John stepping forward and placing his hands on his hips.

"You keep throwing around this word trust but....." he stopped himself again "I just don't understand why you couldn't talk to us, your shipmates"

"I'm a burden" said John suddenly throwing his arms up in the air in frustration "I've been nothing but trouble since we met, I'm weak, I'm deficient, I let myself be captured by Scorpy and I burdened you when I asked you to kill me" He stopped and shook his head. "I'm insane" he said defeated.

"You gave yourself up for my son" said D'argo placing a comforting hand on Johns shoulder. "You have demonstrated on more than one occasion that you are capable of managing yourself" D'argo was about to say more when they were both distracted by Chiana. She had fallen to the ground gripping her head in pain and screaming out for somebody to help her. She was panting hard. "Oh god" was all she was mumbling over and over.

D'argo gripped her by the shoulders whilst John knelt in front of her trying to get her to break from whatever hold she was in. 

"I cant see!" she screamed. "Oh god!"

John held her face in his hands and brought it up close to his "Chiana" he said "Calm down, calm down, we're here,"

She was shaking all over and still breathing harshly, now blinded once again by the visions which struck her now on a regular basis.

"I cant see"

"Your sight always comes back" said John "Look just....." he looked over at D'argo as if searching for the right words.

"We're going to die" she said now attempting to push herself into a standing position. "They're coming" she whispered this time.

They guided her to the cot and sat her down. She curled into a ball on the bed, holding her legs, lying in the foetal position trying to protect herself from these foreseen demons.

"Okay, Chiana what happens in your vision?" asked D'argo.

"Braca is coming....he's....going.......to assassinate us" she said through intermittent sobs. "We have to get out of here" she was now trying to get up, trying to escape.

"But...." Chiana felt for Johns face, ran her hands downwards until she felt the lapels of his leather coat and gripped them tightly, forcing him close to her, so there was no mistaking what she would say next. "One of the uniformed Peacekeepers, he distracts Braca" she swallowed hard "He turns to the right, giving him a blind side on the left....thats all" she said "Thats all I can help you with. You have to kill him, you have to...oh god I wish I could see" she covered her face with her hands and sank back on to the bed.

"Its all right" said John stroking her hair. 

..............................................................

Braca's hand clenched around the weapon in his side holster, it was ready to be drawn, to take fire, to murder. The corridor to the cell was long and unyielding and he felt perfectly at home. Growing up aboard peacekeeper vessels had made Braca very attune to the workings of the ships. He approached the door and looked back at his escorts. Three highly trained peacekeepers, dressed in standard issue uniforms with black visors. None of them had weapons though, he wanted to be the one to kill all three of the prisoners and he didn't want them to accidentally fire their weapons and take the glory. He was all about the glory.

"Unlock the door" he commanded. 

An internal lock clicked and then Braca kicked the door open with his heavily booted foot. Then stepping inside, he checked he was flanked at either side and directed his gaze at the prisoners. The young Nebari was sitting on the cot, the Luxan was standing beside her protectively and the human........the human was gone.

"Where is Crichton?" demanded Braca un-holstering John's weapon from his side.

"I don't know who your talking about?" said D'argo. He waited for a moment and then said "Maybe he escaped?"

"And maybe your lying." Said Braca taking a step forward and scanning the cell.

...........................................................

He couldn't hold on any longer. This had seemed like an ingenious plan when he had suggested it and now it just seemed dumb. At this point hanging from the ceiling, suspended above Braca, waiting for him to get into a position so he could land on top of him, this moment in time seemed endless. Braca was moving back and forth, John was swinging side to side as the large air vent above him blasted hot heat into his face and his coat became like a sail. 

He argued when he had put this idea across that they would have the element of surprise, and this in turn would give them an advantage. He wasn't seeing this as an advantage at the moment. He was seeing this as ridiculous.

Braca was talking to D'argo demanding he tell him where he was, this made him want to laugh out loud, but then obviously that would give his position away.

__

Braca was in position, Braca was in position. He began to let go of the bar he was dangling from and then...._I'm not falling!....._His coat had become entangled on the bar and now he was stuck. He tried to shift his weight so that it tore the coat or so it dislodged him but he wasn't going anywhere. It's not like he could ask for help. Reaching up with one hand he tried to grip the material and pull, but the coat was strong. There were no cows in space, so whatever animal this was made from it had a very thick skin. _Dammit!_ He shouted in his head.

..............................................................

"I will ask one more time, either way you are going to die, where is....." began Braca.

"Sir" said one of the peacekeepers behind him hurriedly.

"Not now" said Braca keeping his gaze and aim firmly fixed on his two prisoners.

"But sir, look up" said The Peacekeeper again, this time with more urgency.

Braca looked up to the right, his gaze distracted and saw his human dangling from the ceiling, his legs waving frantically, his arm apparently caught on something.

Braca aimed upwards and took a shot, John moved out of the way swinging his legs to the side. This sudden movement made his coat finally dislodge and he found himself falling, rapidly. He connected with the ground, which felt soft and as he tried to regain a standing position he saw he had taken out the Pk's. He stepped forward, only to find a gun in his face and took a hasty step backwards. "Wooh" he shouted putting his arms up.

D'argo was already there though gripping Braca by the wrists and taking the weapon out of his hand. It was Winona, he tossed it at John and he caught it, aiming it straight away at Braca's head. "Looks like we just found our way out of here" he said, and then turned and patted his backside "Man my ass broke my fall on their faces" John took a step up to Braca who was standing still, unmoving, knowing John would happily fire and kill him "How does it feel to be on the other end of the weapon?" asked John.

"You wont get out of here alive. They will kill you."

"Chi, you alright?" he asked ignoring Braca.

She was standing up unaided "My sights coming back, I can make out colours and shapes" she smiled for the first time in a long time.

"So whats the plan?" asked D'argo grabbing the unconscious Pk's and moving them into a less obvious position.

"We use Braca to get out." Said John looking at Braca straight in the eyes. "Is that possible?"

"They will kill you before you get to the first check out" he said smiling.

"They wouldn't kill me" said John re-holstering his weapon. "I'm too valuable remember. Half the galaxies after my brain. It's wanted more than me."

"Your indispensable" said Braca "They wont hesitate in killing you."

"Why?" asked John grabbing him by his collar and slamming him up against the nearest wall. D'argo pushed Chiana to the side, so they were out of the way of John's impending fury. 

"Come on John we have to get out of here?"

"He's right you know." Said Braca "I have to check in with Grayza in five microts."

"Tell me what you know!" shouted John, his face was closer to Braca's this time, as if his proximity would make him talk "Do you have the wormhole technology?, is that what this is? Were you successful in extracting it?" said John shaking Braca with each punctuation of his every word.

"Techs grafted some of your brain tissue left over from that lab you had your surgery at in the hopes that I could assimilate the knowledge you had stored in your brain. There has been little progression, odd things pop into my mind like ice-cream and a dog called Chip, but no numbers. Grayza is impatient, she wanted it now, but they could still kill either of us and we are both as valuable to one another at the moment. You need me to escape and we need you because of that information you have in your head." He took a deep breath "But either way they could kill either one of us and I think we know who that would be"

John let go and Braca slid down the wall slightly before standing up fully. He re-arranged his clothing and looked at John intently.

"Im going to take a chance" said John "You get us to your transport module, pod, prowler, whatever, you let us go. I dont kill you." 

"Are you in the position to be making demands?"

"Are you the one holding the gun?" said John tapping Winona.

"Hey Crichton, I have an idea" said Chiana. She was holding up one of the Pk's helmets.

...................................................

"How come I had to leave my clothes back there?" said Chiana now garbed in a PK outfit.

"Stop sulking Chi" said John clad in an identical outfit.

"Well you didn't have to leave your clothes-"

"I'm already dressed like a peacekeeper Chi," said John indicating to his clothes as they were walking down a long passageway.

The scenario was that D'argo was the prisoner being escorted to a transport pod, with two armed PK's and Braca. They figured this way they would be unlikely to be stopped.

"Will you two stop arguing" said D'argo "I should be the one sulking, after all why do I have to be the prisoner? I've spent my life being a prisoner and now I have to play act like one"

John stopped and threw his hand up dismissively "Your head was too big to fit in the helmet" he started to walk again "Now come on Braca, pick up the pace before somebody finds those two naked PK's back there"

Braca turned his head slightly as they passed through another corridor which was full of armed patrols "We shall be approaching a check out point which leads to the docking hangars" he said trying to remain as placid looking as possible "I'll be asked for a finger scan, the prisoner will have to be cuffed and we shall be escorted to a transport prowler where a tech will have to insert a key simultaneously with me to start the prowler. Its an effective way to gain clearance."

"I am not going to be cuffed" said D'argo suddenly breaking free of Braca's loose hold on his arm.

"Hey big guy, this is our only way out. We can uncuff you as soon as we are out of here" said John taking a step forward and holding D'argo's arm to calm him down.

"We're approaching the point. Shut up!" said Braca.

"Lieutenant Braca" said the Tech at the scanning machine.

Braca took a leather glove off his right hand and firmly pressed his finger against the scan. It whirred and beeped confirming his identity and the Tech opened the large gate at his side to the docking hangar.

They passed through the gate, but John suddenly felt a hand placed in front of him, halting his progression. He turned to face the Tech who was staring at him menacingly.

"Whats up?" he said shuffling on his feet nervously.

"Your boots aren't regulation. I would have them changed before somebody notices and has you reported" said the Tech letting his hand down and ushering John through the gate.

"Uhh Thanks" said John "Sure thing. I'm new" he said again pushing Chiana ahead of him.

The hangar was a huge expanse of space with hundreds of prowlers and transport pods. Braca's transport Prowler was a modified Prowler which could carry an excess of ten prisoners.

"Where are you going?" asked the Tech as they approached the large ship. The steps unfolded and connected with the ground with a metallic clang. "Isn't this one of the prisoners?" he asked climbing the steps.

"You would ask your superior to divulge such information" said Braca pushing D'argo up the stairs ahead of him.

"I'm sorry sir" said the Tech. He eyed D'argo as he entered the pod and led him towards the cells which were at the rear of the ship.

"I want this prisoner restrained at the front of the ship so I can keep an eye on him. Violent" said Braca.

The Tech did as he was told and cuffed D'argo as instructed. D'argo struggled against the restraints, it was not merely a show for the young Tech but also a demonstration to John that he would pay for this. 

The Tech pulled from his pocket a key card of some kind, presumably to begin the ignition sequence.

D'argo was struggling harder against the restraints "Get me out of these things!" he shouted at the top of his voice.

"Okay" said John finally stepping forward. John bought his fist back and struck D'argo in the face, attempting to knock him out, but all he succeeded in doing was hearing a number of bones crack in his hand. D'argo retaliated immediately by striking him in the neck with his tongue which acted as a secondary weapon, he then turned to the Tech and performed the same trick. The Tech fell to the ground, his head lolling to the side.

Chiana took her helmet off and reached for the keys to begin unlocking D'argo, who was now in full rage mode.

John was just beginning to stir, placing a hand on his neck "Frell, D'argo,"

"You'll receive much worse if you ever lock me up again" said D'argo. He gripped John by the arm and pulled him to his feet. As John examined his hand and flexed his fingers, Braca was stepping forward with the key card in his hand. "You idiot. This Tech is a mechanioid, it's linked directly to security so if anybody were to ever knock him out and steal a ship..." he paused "Security are on their way" he said simply "You may as well give yourself up" he smiled now, liking how this situation was turning out.

"Braca, You think we're screwed, how's this situation going to look to security. The Lieutenant helping prisoners to escape"

Braca thought about this momentarily "I have just apprehended you" he said reaching down into the Techs clothing and pulling out a weapon.

"Oh yeah and when this Tech wakes up, he's going to tell them everything" John was smiling now. He pulled his pulse pistol out "Put the weapon down and start the ship" he looked over at D'argo who was advancing on him from behind "If your lucky we'll let you go, beat you up a bit, it'll look like you were forced to help us"

D'argo grabbed the weapon from Braca and the key card from his other hand.

"Tell us what we do?" said John.

"The two key cards go into the two opposite sockets at the same time."

"Easy" said John. "Right on three" he said to D'argo.

"One, two, and ....." They inserted the key cards and heard the hum of the engines as they began to fire up.

"It takes two microts for the engines to function at maximum capacity, after that we can leave."

"Oh yeah I forgot to give you something Braca" said John. Before Braca knew what was happening a fist struck him in the face, square on the jaw and he was sent to the ground. "Thats for telling me to shut up" He began to shake his hand again.

"Uhh we still have a problem" said Chiana stepping forward "The doors"

" You have bigger problems than that"

John turned around. Grayza was stood at the door, pulse rifle aimed at them.

She was alone but she exuded power and commandment. Braca looked up from the ground still holding his wounded chin.

"Grayza" said John taking a step backwards, aware of the power she could hold over him. "Looks like mother's mad" he smiled.

"I'm disappointed in you Braca. Helping these prisoners escape. I don't want people thinking I have no control over my Lieutenants" 

The ship was beginning to vibrate as the engines began to operate at full power, now emitting the same sort of energy Moya produced during starburst.

"You wont be leaving" said Grayza.

John looked out of the front window, the hangar was beginning to fill with fumes, which would eventually build up to such a pressure that the marauder would inwardly implode. "I dont think so" said John, he dared to take a step forward "You see if you don't open those hangar doors your going to be blown sky high and I don't think your ready for that"

Grayza looked towards the door, it was closing behind her. D'argo had activated them ready for launch.

"Come on, do you or dont you want to die?" asked John.

There was silence whilst Grayza fought an internal war, John could smell those fumes now as they permeated every sector of the hangar, any longer and this would be the end.

"Ok" she snapped suddenly and hitting her comms "Open the docking doors now" Once she had spoken she lowered her weapon resigned to the fact that now her prisoners were in control. She didn't want her base to be another conquest of John Crichtons.

"Wow I nearly got to destroy another base" said John replacing his weapon in its holster and Guiding Grayza by the arm to the restraints. As he locked her arms into them, she stared at him and for a moment John thought he was going to loose control. Not this time, he thought and punched her in the face. Her head drooped forward.

.............................................................

Aeryn and Scorpious had been flying within scanning distance of the marauder for an Arn and so far they were no where nearer into discovering a safe way in. Scorpious had explainned that the marauder's were now highly guarded with security and that no launch from the hangar could be completed without the proper authorisation. He also concluded that if Braca had his way, John would already be dead.

"This is hopeless" said Aeryn sliding the copper rod downwards to reduce thrust. The transport pod was manually controlled. As she sat she remembered the last time she had flown this manually with John, they had kissed as she recalled. She smiled to herself.

"Crichton is very resilient" said Scorpious. 

"Yes" said Aeryn. As they looked out of the large front window they could see something emerging from the hangar doors, on the far side. It looked like a prowler, only this one was bigger.

"That looks like Braca's pod" said Scorpious standing and walking towards the window for a better look. 

"Thats not a standard prowler" said Aeryn.

"No" said Scorpious, he rejoined her at her side "A lot of things changed since you were irreversibly contaminated" 

"But then I suppose you are in the same predicament as I was back then" said Aeryn.

"Yes indeed. Who would have thought that it would be over an altogether inferior species"

"If we can get to Braca, then we can find out where John and the others are being kept" she began to increase upward thrust to move forward.

..............................................................

Something slammed into the side of the prowler and John was knocked off his feet and his elbows connected with the ground with a crunch. He felt that familiar click of his shoulder as it was dislocated from the socket "Ahhh" he cried out and attempted to stand whilst supporting his injured shoulder.

"What the frell is going on?" D'argo shouted pushing Braca away from the controls. 

Another connection with the object outside and this time the inside of the prowler bent inwardly.

"At a guess I'd say something was hitting us" said Chiana.

"Chiana, could you please offer something constructive" shouted D'argo taking control of the ship and attempting to steer it away from whatever it was that was striking them.

The prowler was loosing power, the engines were churning and the inside cabin was spewing something thick and black.

Grayza was laughing as if enjoying the ride, Braca was sitting on the floor still touching his chin.

John moved up towards D'argo and scanned outside, all he could see was space. "Whats hitting us?"

"This craft has no navigation, it's lost integral structure and I have no idea what is frelling hitting us" shouted D'argo.

The top of the prowler was being beaten by something, John could hear the metallic clangs as the outside was struck hard.

"Will this thing hold?" asked Chiana looking at Braca and then Grayza.

Braca stood and leaned against the inner hull "It'll hold as long as it needs to" said Braca running a hand through his hair "We wont be effected if the hull is depressurised. We'll still be able to breath, inner systems ensure that. It would take crichtonesque proportions to destroy this vessel" Braca was shouting now. 

The whir of the engines was becoming so loud that John couldn't hear himself think, he also couldn't think straight until the mind numbing pain in his shoulder had gone. He once remembered this happening the last time he saw Maldis, and he had had to put his shoulder back in the socket. Gripping the wall and bracing himself he used as much force as possible and .....CRACK!.....he felt his shoulder pop back in again. He hoped he wouldnt turn into a Lethal Weapon cliché.

John was about to take a step forward when a piece of the upper hull caved in. When John looked up he expected to see space, but when he did he was surprised by what he saw. One of their own transport pods had suctioned onto their prowler and Aeryn was staring down the hole at him.

"Took your time huh?" shouted John "But look, your ripping us apart"

"I know" shouted Aeryn jumping down into their pod "Thats why I need to get you out of here"

Another body jumped down from the hole above. Scorpious was stood before him.

"John" he said "We need to get you out of here"

Chiana and D'argo were already stepping forward ready to leave this sinking ship.

"You brought him along" shouted John "And you gave him a weapon"

"There was nobody else" shouted Aeryn over the sound of the culminated engines.

"Come on John lets move it" 

"No" said John. "I'm not going anywhere with him" he looked at her and said again for good measure "No"

"Fine" said Aeryn helping Chiana up to the transport pod.

John stood for a moment, his hands placed firmly on his hips, defiant as always until he realised he was being utterly stupid. "Oh frell" he said before deciding to swallow his pride. "What about them?" he said indicating to Grayza and Braca.

"Leave them" said D'argo as he began to climb up to the pod.

John was torn, but at the end of the day Braca said that they wouldn't die if their was disrepair in the hull so screw them.

"Crichton"

John turned and he saw Grayza was calling for him.

"John come on" said Aeryn grabbing him by the arm.

"Hang on" said John taking a step forward twoards the woman. She was looking at him with those eyes again.

......................................................

"John put the weapon down" Aeryn was shouting. "Please"

John was aiming his pulse pistol at Aeryn's head, locked in a stance he couldnt break from, locked in a trance he couldnt break from.

"Aeryn" he managed to say, though the words were slurred.

"John, it's Grayza, she's done something to you. please you know me. You wouldnt hurt me" she moved forward one step "You love me" she said grasping for straws.

Johns hands were shaking, his grip strong but the aim falling. He looked back at Grayza and those eyes, that smell. His aim was steady again, unflinching.

"Kill her John" said Grayza, her voice as soft and reassuring 

"John, no" said Aeryn. She couldn't move, and she knew he couldn't.

Aeryn was about to speak again, to try and persuade John to gain some sort of sanity when Scorpious took a step forward and punched John in the face. His head snapped backwards and he staggered. When he looked up, Aeryn saw that rage in John's eyes. He propelled himself forward, blood dripping from his nose, and launched himself onto Scorpious, punching him in the side of the head. "Why the frell did you do that?" he shouted.

"John" Aeryn grabbed John by the arm and he shot a look at her. He was obviously confused and disorientated. "Grayza, took control over you" He looked at her, finally understanding. He stopped hitting Scorpious, and still straddling him looked over at Grayza. She was smiling again.

"The transport pods seal on this prowler isnt going to hold much longer" Aeryn stated simply.

John began to stand bringing a hand up to his nose to try and stem the bleeding, he turned to Grayza as Aeryn helped Scorpious to his feet.

"Just one thing" he said holding a bloodied finger up "Did you get the information you wanted?"

Braca was giving away nothing and neither was Grayza "If we didn't. We will" she said and leaned against her restraints.

................................................................

John was stood at Scorpious cell, his body pressed up against the bars watching Scorpious as he slept. The man he hated, the man who had tried to kill him on more than one occasion had tried to save him. Why? He asked himself.

"You should probably do the same" said a voice from behind him. Chiana leaned up against the cell with John, pressing her body however against him. John turned to her and rubbed a hand over his eyes, proving to himself how weary he was. "I will" he said.

"You know, for a moment there I thought we were finished" she leaned up against John's chest and spoke, her voice muffled "These visions are more like a curse"

John took a step back and took Chiana's face in his hands "I wouldn't knock them. They saved our skin" he turned back to Scorpious "I cant understand why he saved me"

"Maybe Aeryn is right. Maybe he's changed" said Chiana leaning up against the bars again to get a closer look.

"Or maybe he's going to kill us all in our sleep" There was a moment of silence between the two. "Look Chi, could you uhh keep the whole Noranti thing between us. Not tell Aeryn" he took a deep breath.

Chiana was looking up at him with a strange expression "If you want. Just promise not to do it any more" she sighed like a child "I'm going to bed" she kissed John on his cheek and skipped off down the passageway, humming an indistinct song.

John shook his head and after one glance back at his arch enemy began to make his way towards his quarters. On his way past the galley he could hear the sound of cutlery clanging, he walked in expecting Rygel to be sat munching away at everybody's rations. Rygel had already kicked up a fuss today about them not bringing back any food.

Noranti was foraging through their supplies like a crazed woman. Well she was a crazed woman.

"What are you doing Old woman?" he said walking towards her.

"Ahh Crichton" she said turning towards him "I uh, I have something for you. Something...."

"Something? What?" he turned away from her "No look I dont want it." He held his hands up.

Noranti was going through her bag which was slung across her protectively. "You want to remember?" she said cryptically "Or you want to forget." She shook her head and walked towards John, then held out her hand and reaching for his pressed it on top of hers. "I know what you want"

John could feel the packet between their hands and he made no moves to remove his away. He wanted the powder, he wanted to forget. To not feel something.

............................................................

John couldn't sleep, he'd been lying awake in the dark for arns, his over-active drugged up imagination driving him insane. He brought his hands up to his head and sighed. He wished he still had television, at least when you couldn't sleep at night on earth you had crap late night tv, or bars.

He stopped when he heard a noise from the corner of the room. Bare feet padding across the floor. He leant on his elbows to get a better view of the silhouette walking towards his bed. He hoped it wouldn't be Scorpy.

John lifted his bed cover up for the figure to slip into the bed beside him and he felt the naked flesh cling to his leg. He rolled onto his side facing away and the figure pressed herself against him. He could feel her hot breath on the back of his neck.

"I thought you were a DRD" he whispered.

She had waited until everybody else on the ship had gone to sleep before she crept down the passageway to his quarters. He had known it was her as soon as he had heard those barefeet on his floor.

"The results of the DNA test" he whispered again "I guess thats why youre here" he said turning towards her and trying to see her face in the dark.

Aeryn moved closer to him and pressed a finger against his lips to quieten him, but he wouldnt be silenced.

"Well I hope it isn't Rygels, is all I can say" This time her lips silenced him.

"Scorpys" he said after she had pulled away. "Pilots" he said.

"John" said Aeryn, she rolled away from him, indicating that this time she wanted him to embrace her "Shut up and go to sleep"

****


End file.
